Safer Without
by Kita Kitsune
Summary: KuramaxHiei shounen ai (Hiei's POV). "Pay your debts, Jaganshi." " . . . what if he wakes, and I’m not there . . . ?" . . . his blood-red hair mixing with the substance on the ground; jade eyes dim and lifeless . . . " . . . Hiei could have died . . . "


Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue kudasai! :3

Warning: Kurama and Hiei shounen ai.

( - - - - - - - )

It is barely morning.

Soft rays of pale sunlight drift through the windows, and yet he still sleeps . . .

A bit of fiery hair tossed carelessly over one shoulder, the rest of the long crimson mane hidden behind him.

Those deep jade eyes . . . that gaze I could lose myself in only but a few inches away, closed in sleep as my lover's hold still gently encircles me . . .

I sigh softly, leaning my face up and burying my nose in those scarlet strands that have danced over his shoulder.

_Last night . . ._

A very small smile comes upon my face as I remember, and glance with lowered eyes at this strange creature before me; registering as I wake that the elegant arms are carefully placed around me, holding me, keeping me . . .

He is still asleep as my own eyes close, the peaceful image of him burned forever into the Jagan's memory . . . **my **memory . . .

The little grin grows, and I open my eyes, wishing to drink in that beautiful visage once more.

. . . but?

There is nothing but dark.

I don't become flustered, I don't panic. What use are these emotions?

Instead, I take in my new surroundings . . . nothing.

It is only a void of utter black . . . utter dark . . .

I remember a faint memory of the mirror, and scowl . . .

At that time I was unaware, and, as a result of my foolishness . . . almost lost him . . .

I shake my head.

This is nothing.

I've been in darkness before, it is only a dream, which I will then wake up from and see my kitsune's glowing face, as the infant sun caresses the perfect skin, transforming it into an even more breathtaking sight . . .

I hear footsteps behind me, but refrain from turning. I recognize the ki.

It is not my fox, but another . . .

Another I have seemed to befriend, despite my first intention to kill him.

When I hear he stops, I turn, narrowing my eyes at the darkness, where I can only sense him to be.

"Yuusuke." I acknowledge, dipping my head in the slightest, my eyes focused carefully upon my 'friend's form . . .

Something's not right . . .

A candle is suddenly struck, and next to him I see the smaller, more petite form of his girl—Keiko.

Inside, I grit my teeth, but nod my head to her as well, showing the barest amount of respect as possible, my deep glare intensifying.

She has always needed to be saved, after all . . . not that I would tell Yuusuke my thoughts.

Since he has become stronger, he could kill me, now . . .

And no one would hesitate to kill me . . .

He steps forward, and I slip out of my mind, looking up at the detective as he comes closer.

For a moment, our eyes lock, and I feel a flicker of confusion, as I see—

WHAM!

I fly across the floor at the unexpected blow, flipping over halfway through the skid and quickly stopping myself as my crouching feet and skilled hands make contact with the hard floor of this black void . . .

Black, but for two stone figures, illuminated by light . . .

I do not break the silence, but rush at him . . . if it's a fight he wants . . .

I will not die before kills me . . .

I will not give up . . .

I can feel the radiating aura around him, and sense the chill . . .

It is youki, not reiki, that emminates from him now . . .

Suddenly, I dodge to the right, avoiding him, and deciding at last to speak . . .

"What's the meaning of this."

Kurama has always assured me that the hanyou sees me as a friend, a comrade—a fellow warrior.

So then why . . . ?

A soft voice interrupts my thoughts, and I turn to it, my eyes widening as I feel myself tense upon seeing her figure erupt from the shadows . . .

"Hiei-san!"

My sister . . .

Her petite form barrels into me, shaking, the slim arms wrapping around my back to hold me in a tight embrace. I blink, looking down at the nearly-invisible form of my imouto, a whisper in my mind . . .

_Get away . . ._

Suddenly, I feel a sting, right from where her hands are clasped behind me . . .

I struggle, detaching her body from mine . . . and she, surprised at the action, drops to the floor.

_Breathing . . ._

My eyes flicker in nervous apprehension of what is happening . . .

_Why are they here . . . ?_

_What are they doing . . . ?_

_**. . . and where is Kurama?**_

My eyes widen, and I look around at their lifeless faces, the ningen girl, Yuusuke . . . my sister . . .

I feel another presence come into my mind, and do not even care if he is insulted by my lack of respect towards him.

Not surprising, I feel a fist come out from the space behind me, the little dead air currents in this shadow world telling me where it is headed as I cannot see it . . .

I duck easily, but am instead caught suddenly in the stomach by a stronger fist.

I ignore the pain, and flit away to the edge of the light, still held by the stone form of Keiko, the look in her eyes far different than any I have seen from her before . . .

Yuusuke slowly retreats out of his stance, and smirks at me, bringing the hand he had just used to hit me back to his side, still fisted . . . and I feel another chill . . .

"Time to pay your debts, Hiei." he murmurs in a low voice, the dark brown of his eyes glinting in a way I find most . . .

Unpleasant.

He jumps at me again, and Kuwabara rushes to restrain me.

I cry out in frustration as the larger man's arms loop under my shoulders and pin my own upwards . . .

I am attempting to wriggle out of an inexperienced grasp that should be all too easy for me to escape . . .

I feel my throat constrict as Yuusuke punches me, in the gut, the face, anywhere those cursed fists can reach . . .

I've felt his punch before, once, long ago, and even then it had me reeling . . . the force sending me into the crates of the warehouse, resulting in my dropping the three stolen treasures . . .

Which ultimately led to his victory . . .

I cry out as pain suddenly engulfs me, a liquid that do not recognize, seeping into my skin, burning it away, yet not dripping down to relieve me from its presence . . .

Kuwabara doesn't release me, and I can only assume it's because the searing acid doesn't react to his human skin . . .

But it does mine.

I scream as more of the merciless fluid splashes onto me, scalding me, burning me in a way that vaguely reminds me of fire . . . before I had mastered my own body's skills . . .

A soft, desperate voice breaks through my cries of agony and pain . . .

"Stop!"

I slit open an eye, just a bit, my half-gaze now taking in my sister still lying on the ground where she had fallen, but now crawling towards me, red eyes full of sorrow and hiruiseki gems threatening to fall . . .

Quickly, Kuwabara releases me, and I crumple to the floor, happening to fall so that I can see Yukina's crimson orbs widen in horror, as she cries out, closing them in her pain as she struggles to reach me . . .

But it is not meant to be . . .

Easily, my 'teammate' picks her up, and I only see the light blue of his uniform as he carries her away into the blackness . . .

I attempt to pull myself up, to follow, but another splash on my face sends me backwards, and I can feel the liquid burning into my skin, leaving a permanent mark . . .

Cursing an already cursed being . . .

My eyes fly open at the realization, and I see Yuusuke hovering over me, that same icy smirk dancing on his face.

I refuse to cower before him . . . if I am to die, I will not grant this sadist traitor the pleasure of seeing my pride disintegrate because of a few blows from a former 'friend.'

He leans down, the candlelight flickering eerily over his face, casting half a shadow.

"Pay your debts, Jaganshi."

And more of that solution pours into my eyes . . .

Blindly, I thrust my hand upward, intending to hit the half-ningen, but all I come upon is air . . .

I open my burning eyes, but see only blackness, as before . . .

Then I realize.

I calm myself, ignoring the screams of pain seeming to originate from my very being, my skin coated in the glutinous, abraising mass that seems to be penetrating into my very heart . . .

Crawling deeply into myself, I come upon my last resort, and try to use my remaining youki to call the beast . . .

But there is nothing.

My eyes widen in shock, and I sit straight up despite the pain, tearing the bandages away from my right arm, registering faintly that the cloth was not eaten away, although I can still feel the fluid's substance lingering heavily on the skin under the ward, as though it had saturated the binding . . .

My face goes aghast, when all I see is pure white, unblemished skin . . .

No sign of the dragon . . . not even a blister from the acid . . .

Nothing . . .

I put a hand to my forehead, closing my eyes in unbelieving denial . . .

And feel no flickering power beneath my bangs.

I can feel my red irises dilate, and hurriedly rip away the cloth below my hairline, searching with trembling fingers, but . . .

The Eye is gone as well.

Nothing . . .

I look up, expecting to see Yuusuke, but the traitorous hanyou is gone.

In his place is that man . . .

The man who found me.

Raised me.

Taught me to steal.

Then tried to steal from me.

. . . the man I killed.

For trying to take away my mother's tear gem.

He smirks down at me, and I am then aware of the words Yuusuke spoke . . .

The same words before I killed him . . .

The grin grows, and I find myself nervously clutching onto the shining blue-white crystal that is suddenly hanging on a cord around my neck . . .

Belatedly, I realize I'm much smaller . . .

More wiry . . .

Not as muscular as I've become accustomed to . . .

I'm younger . . .

The bandit's one fang pokes smugly out of the left corner of his mouth, as he then speaks, a hand reaching for the prized necklace I've worn since as far back as I can remember . . .

"Time to pay your debts, Little One."

I thrash around in fear, producing the huge sword from my childhood . . . out of nowhere . . .

A drizzle of warmth sprays across my face, but I don't open my eyes, my older self resurfacing and knowing what I'll see . . .

But my instincts betray me, and the little crimson orbs open slowly . . .

They widen in shock.

For it is not the bandit lying dead before me . . .

It's Kurama.

His blood red hair mixing with the substance on the ground, the green eyes wide, staring and lifeless—

I howl, the agonizing cry riding the dead currents of air, and the grisly scene before me disappears, leaving only familiar blackness . . .

Not even a candle to illuminate the dark . . .

I am alone.

Alone . . .

I curl in on myself, still in my younger body, feeling the scrawny, starved form that was me . . . as my arms clutch futilely at my back . . .

A single tear escapes me, and I whimper pathetically as the jet-black gem, tinted with a swirling red, falls to the ground . . . giving only a soft 'clink' as proof of its existence . . .

I hear footsteps again.

I press further into my own embrace, unable to suppress the shudders as I think I recognize the ki, but refuse to acknowledge it . . .

My dream has shown me that much . . .

Before I can react, warm, elegant arms wrap around me, holding my small form close, and a breathy whisper is in my ear . . .

". . . hiei . . . "

I shiver at the tone, and try to pull away, but my koi only pulls me closer at the action, a choked voice-like sound coming from him . . .

". . . I found you . . . "

Then I have the oddest sensation.

My body is growing.

Maturing . . .

The skinny arms filling out as the muscles return . . .

I look down at the ruined ward, and see the black swirl of the Kokuryu returning, cloth wrapping around it as though I was never without . . .

I touch a hand to my forehead, and feel the slight tingle beneath the fabric as the implant responds to the tentative contact . . .

Kurama . . .

His scent is pervading every pore of my skin, until I am almost drunk . . .

He's everywhere . . .

". . . Kurama . . . "I whisper, unaware until now that my voice has become raspy and hoarse . . . I feel the fox tighten his hold as he hugs me tighter, responding in his own way . . .

". . . yes Hiei?" I close my eyes, letting myself begin to . . .

". . . I'm tired . . . "

I fall into the blackness, surrendering as it engulfs me completely . . .

I keep my eyes closed as I slowly wake, registering faintly that I am in bed . . .

I knit my brows as my senses tell me I'm not in the fox's room . . .

The sliding door is exposed, and my now-open eyes flicker to it, the red orbs taking in the kitsune . . .

My kitsune . . .

His steps are slow and weary, I can see the bags hanging under his eyes as he walks toward the bed, looking down, a damp cloth in his hand. When he finally looks up, his emerald irises regain some of that familiar joyous sparkle, and he rushes to me, enveloping me in a soft embrace as the cloth falls, forgotten (in light of other things), to the floor . . .

He's kneeling on the sheet covering me, thighs straddling my own, his long arms interlocked behind my back, around my torso, that beautiful crimson mane hiding his face from view as he dips it into the crook of my neck, his warm breath falling gently upon my bare left shoulder . . .

I sigh, and fall back, feeling his soft weight gently pinning me down as I land on the bedspread below me . . .

My left hand comes up of its own will, and I carefully begin to knead my fingers through his hair, to which he presses further into me, until there is not a single spot where we are not touching . . .

I close my eyes as he nuzzles his nose into my neck, and feel as he continues to breathe into me, his life becoming my own as we simply lie there, in peace . . . together . . .

. . . before I break the silence . . .

". . . Kurama?" he shifts, drawing back a bit so he can see my face, and, though my eyes remain shut, I can nearly see the soft smile drifting onto his beautiful face, as I now begin to feel the back of his fingers stroking my cheek gently . . .

". . . hai, Hiei?" I sigh, bringing his face down to mine, our noses rubbing delicately against one another . . . and I open my garnet eyes to gaze into his breathtaking jade ones.

". . . don't leave me . . . "

The fox freezes for a moment, his eyes widening . . . the peace holds its breath, and—

( . . . briefly, I wonder if that little confession was in his plans from the start . . . )

He presses down suddenly, our lips meeting, then . . . a strange sense of security washes over me, as though I know his answer before he even tells me . . .

"Never."

And now I am once again caught, half-hating myself, as I give into the warm feelings . . .

—_arigatou . . ._

_Kitsune._

( - - - - - - - )

In another room, Koenma, Genkai and Yuusuke sat silently, feeling the two ki of their demon friends smooth out, as both fell asleep . . .

Their kindred souls were both calmed, now, though each had different reasons for such peace . . .

The elderly woman shook her head.

"It's very lucky Kurama brought him here. He could have died." Koenma nodded in agreement.

"Yes, although I'm surprised the poison took so long to take affect . . . when was the last misson, again?"

"Two weeks ago." Yuusuke confirmed. "I'm sure of it."

"And there were no signs—?"

"No."

"Nothing strange—?"

"No."

"Hm . . . "Now it was Genkai who spoke, interrupting the slight interrogation of the hanyou spirit detective. "Hiei seems fine now, but when he was brought in, he was pale as the sheet that was covering him . . . Kurama wasn't exactly right, either . . . "

Silence pervaded the room as each of its occupants thought deeply, before Koenma sighed and stood, making for the door.

"Keep an eye on them. If anything happens—"

"We'll contact you." The elderly psychic agreed. Yuusuke nodded.

"Yeah. Jaa, Koenma."

"Jaa . . . "

His boss having left, Yuusuke turned to his mentor.

"So what was it, Baba?" She shook her head, gazing off into the distance.

"A poison, Yuusuke. A very powerful hallucinogenic posion . . . " He shook his head now, not understanding that long word . . .

"Meaning . . . ?" Abruptly, her scowling face turned to him, scolding anger in her eyes.

"Hiei was tortured in ways unimaginable, most likely exploiting his deepest fears." she said flatly, brown depths sparking at her apprentice's idiocy . . . but then her voice softened a bit, while the wise eyes now carried a small note of pity for the 'forbidden' fire-koorime, when she looked away. . ." . . . as to what he saw, only he can say . . . "

Yuusuke winced, still finding it hard to believe that his tough fire demon friend had nearly been killed by some **mental** drug . . .

The detective walked out, heading down the hallway to the two demons sleeping contentedly in each other's arms . . .

He peered in for a moment, then sighed, continuing his walk . . .

And how shaken-up Kurama had been . . .

The fox hadn't rested the entire time Hiei had been unconscious . . .

_. . .". . . what if he wakes, and I'm not there . . . ?" . . ._

The detective shook his head one last time, before exiting the temple.

_Five days without sleep can**not** be healthy, Kurama . . ._

( - - - - - - - - - - - - )

ok, there will be no update for Tatakoe High this weekend.

however, I DO have Thursday, Friday and Monday off next week.

so you'll be getting an update somewhere within that time frame :3

please don't hate me, minna, I had this wonderful lil one-shot thought . . .

seriously, I lay, face-down in my bed for about ten minutes trying to remember this dream, and went straight to the computer to type it up!

- n . . . n -

lol, but anyway, this is sorta to tide you guys over until I can get the (VACATION!!! -n.n-) time to write a new one . . .

::shrugs::

if you'd review, I'd be really happy, everyone!

-n.n-

lol, jaa ne!

- Kita-chan -n . . . . . n-

PS

If I get inspired, or get enough feedback, I might, perhaps, continue this . . .

Reviews spur the need to write, which spurs on inspiration once I get typing.

;3 lol

Peace out!

-n.n-


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